Method of dispersing tightly baled fibers

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for breaking up and dispersing tightly baled fibers having high attractive static forces therein comprises a receiver channel having at its lower end thereof a plurality of toothed rollers and and aeration means below the toothed rollers consisting of two or more air or gas jets tangentially located on a compound cyclonic surface.

United States Patent Thomas 1 1 Jan. 7, 1975 {54] METHOD OF DISPERSINGTIGHTLY 2,451,504 10/1948 BALED FIBERS 2,720,005 10/1955 2,738,5563/1956 [75] Inventor: Mlckey A. Thomas, Duncan, Okla. 2 910 52 0 9592,915,790 12/1959 [73] Asslgnee' gfihburton P Duncan 3,001,718 9/1961Creusere et al..' 330/8 UX 3,131,364 4/1964 Magnin 6118i 332 12 [22]Filed; July 1973 3,139,595 6/1964 Barber. 332/12 [21] App]. No.: 377,370

Primary ExaminerDorsey Newton Related Appl'cam Dam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John H. Tregoning I62] Division of Ser. No. 281,861, Aug. 18, 1972.

1521 us. c1. 19/65 R, 19/80 R, 19 148 [57] ABSTRACT 1511 1m. (:1 DOlg5/00 v [58] Field of Search 19/80 R, 81, 80 A, 200, An apparatus orbreaking up and d spersmg ughtly 19/205, 156.4, 156.3, 145.5, 209/136,baled fibers having high attractive stat1c forces therem 138, 250comprises a receiver channel having at its lower end thereof a pluralityof toothed rollers and andaeration [5 Ref ren Cited means below thetoothed rollers consisting of two or more air OI gas jets tangentiallylocated on a com- 1,479,503 1/1924 Henry 19/200 ux pound cyclomc Surface2,292,141 8/1942 Marble l9/l45.5 2,450,511 10/1948 Harner et a1 19/156.31 6 Drawmg guns 1| 1| 1 1 I 1 3 IT I In" 1i I? T 7 I 6 i //.ii 2 l 14 I213 I i 38 39- 15 1' L J Patented Jan. 7, 1975 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3

FIG. I

Patented Jan. 7, 1975 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 4

Patented Jan. 7, 1975 3,858,275

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 METHOD OF DISPERSING TIGHTLY BALED FIBERSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a Division of applicationSer. No. 281,861. filed Aug. I8, 1972, entitled Method and Apparatus forDispersing Tightly Baled Fibers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When natural or artificial fibers areprepared for shipping, they can be baled into large bundles wherein theyare compressed and matted to reduce their volume. During this balingprocess the fibers, which may be anywhere from one-half inch to 6 inchesin length and have a diameter similar to sewing thread (approximatelydenier), become closely intertwined and entangled and tend to develop arelatively strong attractive force field of static electricity. Uponsubsequent separation of the baled fibers into substantially individualfibers the difficulty encountered in overcoming the physicalentanglement of the fibers as well as overcoming the static electricforces holding the fibers together has been a major problem to solve.

One example of this problem is in the rapidly developing field offiber-cementing wherein artificial fibers are used in hydraulic cementslurries to impart added strength to cement and concrete structures. Toobtain a sufficient strengthening effect, the fibers preferably shouldbe substantially separated and dispersed throughout the structure.

The method and apparatus of this invention achieves this separation anddispersion by physically rending the fibers apart by mechanical rendingmeans combined with air dispersal means and then holding them apartagainst their natural tendency to reassociate due to static electricity.Maintaining the fibers in the dissociated state is achieved by airagitation and fiber velocity. Once the fibers are dispersed into thecement slurry, the wet cement serves as a grounding matrix and physicalbarrier, thereby overcoming the static electrical attraction between thefibers and preventing their reassociation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to facilitate theunderstanding of this invention, reference will now be made to theappended drawings of preferred embodiments of the present invention. Thedrawings should not be construed as limiting the invention, but areexemplary only. In the drawmgs:

FIG. 1 is an elevational front view of the dispersing apparatus of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional top view of the air or gasdispersing means contained in the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the drive means for the mechanicaldispersal system contained in the apparatus of FIG. I; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the method and apparatus for adding thedissociated fibers into a fluid matrix.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, the dissociation anddispersal device 1 comprises an upper receiving bin 2 and flow channel 3which in this embodiment are each pictured having a horizontalrectangular cross section. At the bottom of the receiving bin 2 and flowchannel 3 are located inner and outer frusto-conical cyclones 4 and 5respectively.

These cyclones have a generally circular crosssection as partiallyillustrated in @FIG. 4. Connection of the frusto-conical cyclones 4 and5 to the bin and flow v channel is accomplished by abutting the flatflanged plate 6, which is fixedly attached to the bottom end ofreceiving bin 2 and flow channel 3, to the matching flanged plate 7attached to the concentric cyclones 4 and 5.

One method of attaching the flow channel 3, which slopes downward andinwardly in receiving bin2, in a fixed relationship in bin 2 is byattaching it at rim 8 and to flange plate 6 as by welding.

Inner frusto-conical cyclone4 is attached to plate 7 through means suchas welding, thereby providing support for the inner cyclone within theouter cyclone.

Plate 6 has a rectangular opening9 cut therethrough which mates with thelower end opening of flow channel 3. Plate 7 has a circular opening 10centrally located which mates with the upper circular endof the innercyclone 4. The rectangular opening 9 overlaps and adjoins circularopening 10 thereby allowing communication of material flow from flowchannel 3 through the two adjacent openings and into inner cyclone 4.

At the lower end of flow channel 3.between.the tapered inwardly slopingwalls and the flange plate36 is located a short vertical box-likesection llsinwhich is partially located the mechanical rendingmeanscomprising a plurality of dowelled rollers. These rollers aresubstantially cylindrical horizontally disposed-parallel drums eachcontaining a number of spaced dowels 37 projecting outward from theircylindrical surfaces.

At the upper level are two small diameter rollers 12 and 13 placedparallel and horizontal ,and just far enough apart to prevent the dowelsof each from colliding with the cylinder of the other.These rollers aredriven in counter-rotation to each other, with roller 12 as depicted inFIGS. 1 and 3, rotating counterclockwise and roller 13 turningclockwise. This effectively pre' vents any of the matted fibersfrom-passing through the gap between the two small rollers.

At the lower level are two large horizontal parallel co-planar rollers14 and 15 having a plurality of dowels protruding from their surfaceJTheaxes of rotation of these two rollers are located lower than thelevel ofthe axes of rollers 12 and 13. 'The'roller 14 rotates in a clockwisedirection in conjunctionwith roller, l2, and roller 15 rotatescounterclockwise in cooperation with roller 13. This serves to tear awaysmall clumps of the tightly mattedfibers from a large bale introducedinto the bin 2 and channel'3. Located-between rollers 14 and 15 isstationary shaft 40 fixedly attached to opposing walls of vertical-boxsection lLShaft 40 has dowels projecting outward from each side in ahorizontalplane and spaced to mesh with these of roller I4 and roller15, and further rend the fibers passing through gaps 38 and 39.

Rollers l2 and 13 can be driven by an ordinary power source, such as anelectric or gasoline powered motor 16 shown in FIG. 2. Motor 16 workingindirectly through pulley wheel 17 (FIG. operates pulley belt or chain18 which in turn rotates both rollers 12 and 13. As shown in FIG. 2, themotor 16 works directly to drive pulley wheel 19 which in turn, throughbelt or chain 20, drives the two large rollers 14 and 15 via pulleys 21and 22 respectively, mounted on shafts 23 and 24 respectively. Shafts 23and 24 pass through receiving bin 2 and the lower box-like section 11 ofthe flow channel 3 and contain rollers 14 and 15 fixedly attachedthereto. Shafts 23 and 24 are typically mounted in roller bearings (notshown) at each end.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it is clearly illustrated how rollers 12 and13 are indirectly driven by motor 16. Motor 16 drives larger roller 15by belt or chain 20 which in turn rotates shaft 24 containing at itsopposite end, pulley 17 which drives pulleys on rollers 12 and 13through belt or chain 18.

Thus the entire mechanical system is operative in response to one powersource, motor 16.

It should be noted that rotational direction of any one or all of therotating shafts can be changed to the reverse direction by rearrangementof the belts and pulleys or by addition of one or more pulleys.

The air or gas dispersal means located substantially in lowerfrusto-conical cyclones 4 and 5 comprises two or more tangential air orgas jets mounted through the wall near the bottom of outer cyclone 5.

Referring to FIG. 4, which is a discontinuous cross sectional top viewof the lower section of outer cyclone 5 taken at line 4--4 in FIG. 2,the preferred embodiment of the air or gas dispersal means consists of aprimary air or gas dispersal jet 25 located in air conduit 26 whichpasses through the wall of outer cyclone 5 in a generally angularrelationship. In one preferred embodiment, Angle A of FIG. 4 will befrom 45 to 80 with a preferable angle of 60 and the angle B of the jet25 and conduit 26 with the horizontal (see FIG. 2) should be from 0 toabout 25 with a preferable angle of with the jet pointing slightlydownward towards the lower end of cyclone 5.

A secondary air or gas nozzle 27 is located tangentially in cyclone 5passing through the wall thereof as shown in FIG. 4. Nozzle 27 also hasair or gas conduit 28 supplying pressurized air or gas to the cyclone 5.Nozzle 25'serves to establish a tornadic whirling effect betweencyclones 4 and 5 and also directly below cyclone 4. This whirling effecttends to tear apart the individual fibers from the small clumps passingdown from rollers 12, 13, 14, and and maintains the individual fibersentrained-in the moving air or gas stream. Nozzle 27, which preferablyis oriented in a horizontal position, is directed toward dischargeconduit 29 which communicates through opening 30 in the wall of cyclone5. The air or gas stream from nozzle 27, which passes from therelatively narrow diameter of nozzle 27 into the much larger diameter ofconduit 29, establishes a strong venturi effect which pulls the air orgas stream in the cyclones and the entrained fibers into the dischargeconduit 29 while maintainingthe fibers in their highly dissociated stateby continual movement and agitation of the air or gas stream. Thusnozzle 27, acting in cooperation with discharge tube 29, serves as aneductor, creating a vacuum in the lower end of the cyclones which drawsthe dissociated fibers and whirling air or gas mass into the air or gasdischarge stream and conveys them down the discharge tube 29 to bedispersed into the matrix.

One method of dispersing the dissociated fibers into the preferredmatrix is disclosed in FIG. 6 in which the fiber discharge tube 29 isshown emitting a fast moving stream of air or gas and entrained fibersdirectly into a stream of slurried matrix discharging from slurryconduit 31.

Substantially all of the mixing of fibers and slurry occurs during thecollision of the two convergent streams from conduits 29 and 31 andtheir turbulent entry into the body of slurry in the sluice box 32. Fromthis box a suction line such as line 33 draws the completely mixedslurry-fiber composition from the sluice box 32 and conveys it to theconstruction site.

Alternatively, it is possible to mix the fiber stream from conduit 29into the dry bulk material by adding it at the bulk blending machine orinto the discharge pipe line leading from the dry bulk blender, prior tothe addition of fluids to the materials.

Although in FIG. 4 it is indicated that a common air or gas pressuresupply can be used for air or gas nozzles 25 and 27 by the use of wyeconnection 34 and conduit connecting loop 35 which connects nozzle 27 tothe air or gas supply of nozzle 25, it is clear that a separate air orgas supply can be used for each nozzle thereby obviating the need forwye 34 and conduit 35.

A control box 36 can be attachedto the upper section of the apparatus asshown in FIGS. 1 and 3, to receive the controls for motor 16. It shouldfurther be noted that the motor has been removed from theapparatus inFIG. 1 to more clearly illustrate the drive system for the variousroller drums.

Thus in typical operation, the motor 16 will be started thereby drivingrollers 13 and 14 in a clockwise direction and rollers 12 and 15counterclockwise via belts or chains 18 and 20 as described above. Thetightly massed and highly charged bale of fibers is placed into thereceiving bin 2 whereupon it drops down into flow channel 3 and contactsthe above mentioned four dowelled rollers.

The whirling action of the rollers forces penetration of the projectingdowels into the bale, pulling off small clumps of the fibers and passingthem through the gaps 38 and 39 between the large and small rollers. Thevacuum produced from the eductor effect of nozzle 27 and tube 29 helpspull the small clumps of fibers from the dowels once they pass throughgaps 38 and 39 and bring them into contact with the stream of air fromnozzle 25, which stream of air or gas forcefully rends the small clumpsinto individual fibers and effectively entrains the fibers in the movingair or gas mass. This air or gas mass is then drawn into the dischargetube and propelled along by the air orgas from nozzle 27.

It should be pointed out that the nature of these fibers is such thatshould the fibers be removed from the V turbulent air or gas mass, theywill immediately reassociate and become a tangled mass again as a resultof the highly attractive static electric charges on them. This staticcharge is not discharged until the fibers are dispersed into the slurrymatrix, thereby becoming well grounded. Thus it is imperative that thefibers be agitated and velocitized constantly until this grounding isaccomplished, and the apparatus of this invention performs this functionin addition to the initial rending apart of the baled fibers anddissociating of them in an air or gas stream.

Although a specific preferred embodiment of the present invention hasbeen described in the detailed description above, the description is notintended to limit the invention to the particular forms or embodimentsdisclosed herein, since they are to be recognized as illustrative ratherthan restrictive and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatthe invention is not so limited. For example, while the presentinvention is depicted having a rectangular shaped upper section andfrusto-conical lower section, these sections could easily be of anypolygonal shape or curvilinear shape. It is also clear that any numberof dowelled rollers could be used in place of or in addition to the fourdescribed in this embodiment. Also it would be possible to vary thenumber and orientation of air or gas jets utilized in the lower sectionas well as placing additional jets in the upper section as well, tofurther aid the downward movement and dissociation of fibers. it wouldalso be possible to substitute other mechanical rending means for therollers, such as fingers, gears, chains, teeth, blades, or othermechanical abraders.

In addition, while this invention is described for use in dissociationof artificial fibers, it could also be utilized for natural fibers aswell as other fibrous materials such as hay, grass, metals, andfiberglass. Thus the in- 2. intimately contacting said fibrous materialin saiddispersal zone with a high velocity stream of gas moving in asubstantially rotative path to separate said fibrous material intofibers;

3. applying a vacuum to said fibers to remove said fibers downwardlyfrom said dispersal zone; and

4. discharging said fibers through an eductor zone. l

1. A method of substantially separating entangled fibrous material intosubstantially unentangled fibers, comprising the steps of: 1.introducing said fibrous material into a dispersal zone;
 2. intimatelycontacting said fibrous material in said dispersal zone with a highvelocity stream of gas moving in a substantially rotative path toseparate said fibrous material into fibers;
 3. applying a vacuum to saidfibers to remove said fibers downwardly from said dispersal zone; and 4.discharging said fibers through an eductor zone.
 2. intimatelycontacting said fibrous material in said dispersal zone with a highvelocity stream of gas moving in a substantially rotative path toseparate said fibrous material into fibers;
 3. applying a vacuum to saidfibers to remove said fibers downwardly from said dispersal zone; and 4.discharging said fibers through an eductor zone.